Thunder Gulch sires another turf winner

Thunder Gulch won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and was a champion at 3. His success on dirt prevented him from showing what he might have done on turf. Because his pedigree (Gulch out of a Storm Bird mare) is strong for grass, I labeled him a hidden turf sire from the start when his first crop reached the races in 1999. A shuttle stallion doing dual-hemisphere duty in Australia, Thunder Gulch's offspring were an immediate success on turf.

On Oct. 25, Thunder Pass, a 3-year-old colt by Thunder Gulch out of the Nureyev mare Lakabi, won an optional claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Of course, Thunder Pass has a HTx2 (hidden turf top and bottom)

* Like father, like son. The late Carson City was one of Mr. Prospector's fastest sons and became a top source of speed himself. City Zip, a half-brother to Horse of the Year Ghostzapper by Carson City, is clearly a stallion in his sire's image. He is getting winners from 4 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles but his runners are most effective at six furlongs. On Oct. 25, Lost Going Home, a 3-year-old by City Zip, won a six-furlong race by 4 1/4 lengths and paid $4.20.

* When Fuego Grande wins, she has always paid double-digit prices. She did so again on Oct. 27, when she won an optional claiming race at one mile, returning $15. Fuego Grande is by Adonis (by Kris S.) and her dam, the Cure the Blues mare Shotanabeer, is a half-sister to champion sprinter Kona Gold.

Calder

Shanclif won a one-mile maiden race on turf Oct. 29 as the $5.40 favorite, and is well-bred for turf. By hidden turf sire Maria's Son (a son of Wavering Monarch out of a Caro mare), Shanclif is out of the Danzig mare Scipio, and his female family produced dozens of stakes winners, including Swain, Golden Attraction, Fantastic Light, and Kamar.

Churchill

Neil Howard has a promising 2-year-old filly who won a maiden race at about seven furlongs on Oct. 25. Harmony Jane rallied from 11th in the 12-horse field to win by a half-length as the 5-2 second choice. By Gulch, she is out of the A.P. Indy mare New Harmony, a half-sister to a slew of stakes winners, including Wavering Girl, Tricky Creek, Parade Ground, and Speed Dialer.

* Tony Terrific, a 2-year-old colt by Gone West, won his career debut at 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 27 at 9-1. Tony Terrific is out of the stakes-winning Storm Cat mare Thunder Kitten, a daughter of multiple Grade 1 stakes winner Nastique.

* Margy's Forest, a 3-year-old filly by Forestry, won a seven-furlong maiden race on Oct. 28 at 7-1, but she should really enjoy a switch to grass. In addition to being by turf influence and speed influence Forestry, she is out of a Theatrical mare. Her second dam, Over All, was a multiple Grade 1 stakes winner at 2 and Margy's Forest is an RF, as she is inbred 5x5 to Sequence, the second dam of Mr. Prospector and the fourth dam of Forestry.

* Another son of Mr. Prospector is making noise as a freshman sire. E Dubai, who had a world of speed, is one of this year's promising young stallions. On Oct. 29, Dubious Miss, a son (despite his name) of E Dubai, won a six-furlong maiden race at 19-1 in a well-balanced field of 12 2-year-olds.

* After impressing in his Sept. 2 maiden debut at Saratoga, Tiz Wonderful won the Iroquois Stakes at one mile by 6 3/4 lengths as the 4-5 favorite. Tiz Wonderful is from the second crop of Horse of the Year Tiznow, and his dam is by Hennessy and from a James Cox Brady and Mill House female family of substantial class.

Hollywood

Tice, a 4-year-old gelding by A.P. Indy, won a one-mile maiden race at 20-1. His dam is Silverbulletday, a champion at 2 and 3. Tice defeated King Palm, the famous bridesmaid, who now has a record of 10 runner-up finishes in 13 starts for the Maloof Brothers, who owned the Sacramento Kings and the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.

* Beautyandthebeast, a 4-year-old filly by Machiavellian, won the Las Palmas Handicap at a mile on the turf Oct. 29. Beautyandthebeast was a listed stakes winner in England and is intensely inbred to Almahmoud three times, once through her daughter Cosmah and twice through her daughter Natalma. She is a double RF (Rasmussen Factor), as she is also inbred to Lalun through Never Bend and Bold Reason.